Predators are roaming Tulsa neighborhoods looking for prey. That prey could be your pets.
We're talking about coyotes, and they're becoming a bigger problem all over the city.
As FOX23's Janna Clark reports, one of the problem areas is near 81st street between Memorial and Mingo.
Coyotes are lurking just a few feet from Terri Crites' home.
"It's amazing how many tracks they are," Crites said.
Coyotes are watching her pets, Fergie and Leo, waiting for an opportunity.
Terri has seen them.
"Not 30 feet from me were two of the biggest coyotes I've ever seen." Terri said.
One night her dog Sissy didn't come when she called.
"She wasn't out maybe 5 minutes... she basically disappeared," Terri said.
Her neighbor saw what Terri feared.
A coyote attacked and killed Sissy.
"It was horrible," Terri said.
Turns out her neighbors' pets have been disappearing too.
"Everybody you talk to, it seems like they have a story," Terri said.
So she took up a collection in her Bristol Park neighborhood and hired Reginald Murray with Oklahoma Wildlife Control.
He tracks and traps coyotes all over the city. So far, he's trapped a dozen near Terri's neighborhood.
"Just 50 yards from her backyard," Murray said. "The problem is bigger than we saw five years ago, and it's going to continue to get bigger and bigger."
Murray says some people think coyotes are just on the outskirts. But he says they're in the metro area.
Reginald found one shot to death at 71st and Memorial. He's also trapped them in midtown, east and west Tulsa and on the southside.
"Absolutely, they go through the neighborhoods," Murray said.
Murray says pets could be prey, and so could children.
Terri doesn't want anyone's kids or pets to get attacked.
If you've seen coyotes in your neighborhood, email me at jclark@fox23.com
